


Scars, Inside and Out

by Lexebug



Category: Homestuck, MS Paint Adventures
Genre: Abusive Bro, Boys Kissing, Flushed Romance | Matesprits, Hurt/Comfort, Kissing, M/M, Meteorstuck, Past Abuse, Past Child Abuse, Scars, Swords, Trans Dave Strider, Trans Male Character, Trust Issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-18
Updated: 2017-10-18
Packaged: 2019-01-19 01:41:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 874
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12400503
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lexebug/pseuds/Lexebug
Summary: Karkat knew about the scars. Of course he did. Dave had mentioned them before, talked a little about his bro, about what went down at his house. But he'd never seen them. He'd never even seen Dave without his shirt on. But when Dave is ready to take the shirt off, Karkat is ready.





	Scars, Inside and Out

**Author's Note:**

> I'm in a Davekat mood

Dave fanned himself with his one free hand. The other was tightly clasped in a clawed gray one. "You know, you could just let go of my hand, doofus." Karkat's insults had gotten gentler over time, at least towards him. Dave grinned and shook his head, squeezing his boyfriend's hand. Karkat sighed and rolled his eyes, but squeezed back. 

Today the meteor was blisteringly hot. Rose had spewed some sciencey mumbo-jumbo while Kanaya nodded along knowingly. Karkat had said Gamzee probably died in the vents and was blocking the AC. Dave suspected the latter. Anyway, it was hot as balls in the meteor, and Dave wanted nothing more than anything to just take off his shirt and his binder and sit in front of a fan, because he was sticky with sweat and felt gross. Karkat was shirtless already; so were Rose and Kanaya. Actually, so was everyone else on the meteor; the Mayor even had his hood down, which was basically the equivalent of that. Dave would have gone to sit in front of the open freezer, but last time he did that Terezi tackled him to get him to move over. 

Karkat was whining about the heat, and pulled away to lie on the cold tile floor. "Dave, aren't you burning up? It's too hot for clothes," he groaned. Dave winked, raising one eyebrow, and Karkat groaned louder. "Listen, asshole, if you're gonna make those kind of jokes, you better follow the fuck through." Dave slid onto the floor, leaving his shades on the couch. 

"The Karkat Vantas, openly flirting and asking for affection? This is new." Dave smirked, and Karkat grinned back. 

"Get down here, fucker." Dave obliged, lifting Karkat up into a sitting position and leaning forward, head tilted to connect their lips. They moved against each other for a few moments, and then Karkat's hands found Dave's hair, and Dave gasped into his mouth, feeling Karkat smile against his mouth. Karkat was ridiculously warm, and soft, and it was pretty goddamn spectacular to run his hands up and down Karkat's back. His teeth were also kinda absurdly sharp, which was unexpectedly hot, especially when Karkat leaned down and nipped at Dave's collarbone, pulling his shirt aside. "God, this thing is in the fucking way," Karkat muttered, claws catching in the twisted, sweaty fabric. Dave swallowed, feleing the anxiety pounding in his chest. He pushed it down. If he wanted to be honest with Karkat (which he did), he would have to take off his shirt at some point. He gently pushed Karkat away, then grabbed his hand and pulled him up.

“C’mon, we’re going to my room.” Karkat’s eyes widened, and his breath hitched. “I’m- I’m gonna take off my shirt, okay?” Karkat nodded; he looked starstruck. 

When Dave pulled the door behind them with a soft click, Karkat was immediately on him, a knee between his legs and lips connecting. Dave kissed him back for a few seconds, then pushed him away, letting him fall backwards onto Dave’s bed. “Okay, it’s-it’s coming off, okay? Binder is staying on though.” Karkat nodded, propping himself up on his hands. Dave took a shaky breath, and pulled it over his head, tossing it aside.

When he saw the first scar, lacing over his stomach, it sent a jolt of fear down his spine. When he saw the next ones, and the next ones, it was like the sword was still hitting him, like he wa about to receive the next blow any minute. “Dave. Dave. What’s wrong?” He was bleeding, he was bleeding out, where was his first aid kit, where was he, where was Bro, where was the next blow going to fall?

He felt tears dripping down his face, and he sank to the ground on his knees. Wrapping his arms around himself, he rubbed over the raised scars, reminding himself they weren’t bleeding, they were scars, they were scars, he wasn’t in danger. But he still felt the years of anxiety and survival instinct prickling along his back, like static along his shoulder blades, telling him to get up, to move, to run and hide. 

“Hey. Dave. What’s going on?” Dave jumped up, reaching behind him for a sword that wasn’t there when he fucking needed it. Karkat looked....he looked scared. And with that, Dave fell. Literally. He collapsed into Karkat’s arms. Karkat didn’t touch him more than necessary, didn’t touch the scars, or rub circles on his shoulders or some shit. He pulled him onto the bed, gently, and laid down with him, and let Dave cry. That was the right thing to do.

As the panic-fueled adrenaline drained out of him, and he stopped hearing the clanking of metal in his head, he scooted closer. Karkat shooshed him quietly, wiping away tears with the pad of his thumb.

“Are you okay now?” He asked after probably half an hour. Dave had stopped hyperventilating, and the tears were drying in tracks on his face. He nodded. “Good.” He presses a kiss into Dave’s hair. And they fell asleep like that, and for once, Dave didn’t worry about being attacked. He didn’t feel on edge or vulnerable without his shirt. He felt safe, and warm, and okay.


End file.
